Natural Product Radiance, Vol. 6(5), 2007, pp.430-435 Explorer: Research Article Traditional medicinal practices among the tribal people of Malkangiri district, Orissa, India Chiranjibi Pattanaik1*, C Sudhakar Reddy2, Rasmita Das3 and P Manikya Reddy4 1Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Deccan Regional Station Hyderabad-500 017, Andhra Pradesh, India 2Forestry and Ecology Division, National Remote Sensing Agency, Hyderabad-500 037 3Department of Botany, Berhampur University, Berhampur-760 007, Orissa, India 4Department of Environmental Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad-500 007 *Correspondent author, E-mail: [email protected] Received 31 October 2006; Accepted 22 May 2007 Abstract recently published by the World Bank, An ethnobotanical survey of some tribal areas revealed that 34 plant species are used Lambert et al, pointed out that preserving by tribal people of Malkangiri district, Orissa. The use of traditional medicine was observed to be and enhancing the plant knowledge and wide-spread and prevalent over modern medicine in the study area. In present paper plants for use was equivalent to 'rescuing a global various diseases have been discussed along with their uses, botanical names with family, local heritage3. Herbal medicines are names, plant parts used and medicinal preparation along with dosage and mode of administration. comparatively safer than synthetic drugs. Keywords: Traditional medicine, Bonda, Didayi, Koya, Paroja, Bhatoda, Khondh, Plant-based traditional knowledge has Ethnobotany, Malkangiri district, Orissa. become a recognized tool in search for 8 IPC code; Int. cl. — A61K 36/00, A61P 7/17, A61P 17/00, A61P 29/00 new sources of drugs4. The ethnobotanical survey can bring out many different clues Introduction Ayurveda and medicinal plants to help for the development of drugs to treat In the past decade, there has been meet their primary health care needs2. human diseases. renewed attention and interest in the use Thus, traditional medicine practices, Orissa with varied climatic of traditional medicine globally1. The conserved over decades from old regions has a rich and diverse flora and a World Health Organization (WHO) has civilizations, can serve as an effective basis mixed floristic composition of aboriginal pointed out that traditional medicine is for the discovery and development of species used in traditional medicine5. an important contributor to its health modern therapeutic drugs. There are Although, a good amount of goals. Today, according to the WHO, as considerable economic benefits in the ethnobotanical investigation has been many as 80% of the world's people depend development of indigenous medicines and carried out in the southern part of on traditional medicine and in India, 65% in the use of medicinal plants for the Orissa6-10, still some areas are left of the population in the rural areas use treatment of various diseases. In a report unexplored. Malkangiri is one of twelve Bauhinia vahlii Abrus precatorius Asparagus Argemone racemosus mexicana 430 Natural Product Radiance Explorer: Research Article Calotropis gigantea Semecarpus anacardiumLantana camara var. aculeata Tridax procumbens tribal districts of Orissa dominated by area and currently not being replaced by several primitive tribal communities11. modern allopathic medicine. The present The district is the homeland of various study highlights the use of medicinal tribal communities with their sub-tribes plants in traditional medicine of the tribal found in interior part of the forest. people in Malkangiri district, Orissa. Bonda, Didayi, Koya, Paroja, Bhatoda and Khondh are the primitive tribes Study site found in this district12. Despite of various The Malkangiri district lies developmental activities, the traditional between 17º45' to 18º40' N latitude and medicine system is quite stable in the study 81º10' to 82º 00' E longitude. It was Cassia tora earlier a part of Andhra Pradesh, Bastar district of undivided Chhattisgarh in the West, Koraput district Koraput district. of Orissa in the North and East Godavari Now, it spreads and Khammam districts of Andhra Pradesh over an area of in the South (Map). The general 5791 sq. kms topography of the area is of broken with a maximum mountains intercepted by large riverbeds North-South and watercourses. The altitude varies from elongation of 400 m near western side to 1200 m on 137 kms and a the eastern side with mountain peaks and maximum East- ridges. Sandy and clay type soil West elongation predominate the entire district. The of 76 kms. The climate of the major portion of the district district is is influenced by its varied elevation. bounded in the The minimum and maximum temperatures East by Koraput are 11.2ºC and 44ºC in the month of district (a December and May, respectively portion) of (Indian Meteorological Department, Orissa, Bhubaneswar). Humidity is generally high Vishakhapatnam especially in the monsoon and post- and East monsoon months. It receives about 1500 Godavari mm rainfall annually. Major portion of districts of the annual rainfall is received during Location map of Malkangiri district, Orissa Vol 6(5) September-October 2007 431 Explorer: Research Article South-West monsoon between July to cross-checked with people of other villages headache, toothache and fish poisons September. Half of the portion of and other individuals practicing in or (Table 1). Fabaceae, Caesalpiniaceae and the district is covered by dense semi- near the locality in which the plant Acanthaceae families had the largest evergreen and moist deciduous forests, material was collected. Also, comparison number of plants used; and the largest which is congenial for luxuriant was made between the information numbers of preparations used were for growth of many valuable medicinal plant provided by the tribal people and available dysentery and skin diseases. Mostly leaves species. literature13-16. Efforts have been made to were used for preparation of medicines select the plants in flowering and fruiting for different ailments. Water is used Methodology condition and have been provisionally exclusively in the preparation of Several field trips were identified by consulting the regional medicines. Information on Diospyros undertaken for collection of plants floras17-18. Voucher specimens have been melanoxylon Roxb., Nyctanthes during different seasons in 2004 and deposited in the herbarium of Botany arbor-tristis Linn., Cassia fistula 2005. Information on the plants was Department, Kakatiya University (KUH), Linn., Butea monosperma(Lam.) gathered through oral interviews of the Warangal, Andhra Pradesh. Taub., Holarrhena antidysenterica local tribal people, especially older (Linn.) Wall. and Hemidesmus persons, local medicine men and Results and Discussion indicus R.Br. are found to be new from herbalists. Throughout the interviews, A total of 34 plant species this area when compared with the local plant names, usable plant part, belonging to 33 genera and 25 families available literature on Indian medicinal preparation method for medicine, were identified as being used for treatment plants6-10, 13-16. The uses recorded for the application mode and dosage were of approximately 17 ailments or first time have been asterisk marked in recorded. All gathered information was therapeutic indications including Table 1. Table 1 : Traditional uses of plants against various diseases Therapeutic indication Local name Plant parts used Medicinal preparation Botanical and Family name and dosage Abortifacient Abrus precatorius Linn. (Fabaceae) Kainch Seeds Three seeds taken for 4 days to induce abortion. Plumbago zeylanica Linn. Sitaparu Root Two grams of root powder with water taken (Plumbaginaceae) orally for 2 times. Cough Adhatoda zeylanica Medik. Basongo Leaves Decoction of seven leaves taken orally (Acanthaceae) for one week. Barleria prionitis Linn. Tamresa Leaves 15 ml of leaf juice mixed with honey given (Acanthaceae) orally for one week. Cuts and Wounds Semecarpus anacardium Linn.f. Kalabhalia Fruits Oil extracted from the fruits applied externally. (Anacardiaceae) Sida acuta Burm.f. (Malvaceae) Bajarmuli Leaves Juice of the leaves applied locally. Tridax procumbens Linn. Bisal gacha Leaves 7-8 leaves rubbed in hand and the juice (Asteraceae) applied externally. 432 Natural Product Radiance Explorer: Research Article Therapeutic indication Local name Plant parts used Medicinal preparation Botanical and Family name and dosage Diabetes Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb. Bija Stem bark Decoction of the stem bark (2g) given (Fabaceae) orally everyday. Syzygium cuminii (Linn.) Skeels Jamukoli Leaves Juice of leaves and powdered fruit with water (Myrtaceae) and Fruits taken orally everyday. Dysentery Aegle marmelos (Linn.) Bel Fruits 10-15 ml of infusion of fruit taken Correa ex Roxb. (Rutaceae) orally twice daily. Bauhinia vahlii Wight & Arn. Sialpatar Pods Decoction of seven pods taken orally (Caesalpiniaceae) for 2 days. *Diospyros melanoxylon Roxb. Duri Stem bark Crushed stem bark with water given (Ebenaceae) orally for 3 days. Emblica officinalis Gaertn. Anlakoli Fruits Decoction of fruits (seven) taken (Euphorbiaceae) orally for 3 days. Fever Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Bhuingkara Leaves 50 ml of infusion of leaves taken orally for 3 days. Wall. ex Nees (Acanthaceae) Argemone mexicana Linn. Kantakusum Root Fresh root grounded with black pepper and (Papaveraceae) the extract given orally, one spoonful twice a day for 5 days. *Nyctanthes arbor-tristis Linn. Kokra Leaves Leaf juice